First major step towards legislation against burn crimes

Source: The News

Date: August 12, 2010

Bill titled ‘Acid Control and Burn Crime Prevention Act 2010’ presented to the ministry

As a first major step towards legislation against burn crimes, the bill titled ‘Acid Control and Burn Crime Prevention Act 2010’ was presented to the Ministry of Women Development (MoWD) here on Wednesday.

Prepared by Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) after thorough consultation at federal and provincial level, the bill is drafted on the directives of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The chief justice addressed the phenomenon of acid violence in a sue moto action taken in the case of acid survivor Naila Farhat. The sue moto action was taken on a story published in ‘The News’.

The chief justice observed that the government should legislate the Acid Crime Prevention Act, which should specifically deal with acid attack cases in terms of prevention and punishment, and the Acid Control Act, to regulate the sale and purchase of acid as done by Bangladesh in 2002. Furthermore, he also directed the government to provide free medical treatment to acid burn victims and help them in terms of provision of legal aid and rehabilitation facilities.

The proposed act recommends that if acid attack or burn attack has resulted in the death of any person, the culprit should be punished with death and in any other case the offender will be liable to imprisonment and fines in the light of the extent and severity of injuries.

The act also suggests imprisonment for not less than 14 years which may extend to life imprisonment given the presence of severity or brutality unless the injuries are impermanent and minor. In case no injury occurred as a result of an attack, the legislation suggests seven years imprisonment and liable fine for attempt to commit an offence of acid attack.

View the link for more information: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=256110